Andreassen and Hatherly add firepower to Cannondale Factory Racing
Dane and South African join Avancini and Fumic on the stacked XC World Cup team
Photo by:
Jean Pierre Jacobs for Cannondale
Cannondale Factory Racing is adding serious strength, and youth, to its roster. The World Cup cross country team announced today that Simon Andreassen and Alan Hatherly are joining the team for 2021.
While the two new team members are young, they’re already showing impressive results against the elites. 2020 was proved to be a breakout year for both riders. Andreassen won his first elite men’s World Cup XCO in 2020. Hatherly, not far behind, earned his first World Cup XCO podium.
The two new signings join returning CFR riders Henrique Avancini and Manuel Fumic. Avancini is currently the number one ranked elite men’s rider. Fumic has four Olympic appearances to his name already and, at 38-years-old, is on track for a fifth in Tokyo.
In fact, each of the team’s four riders already has at least one world championship title to their name.
Simon Andreassen
Simon Andreassen’s elite XCO win at Nove Mesto wasn’t his first taste of success. The Danish rider arrives at Cannondale Factory Racing with junior cyclocross and cross country world championships to his name.
“It’s with such excitement and honor that I am joining Cannondale Factory Racing. One of those scenarios where reality beats imagination,” said Andreassen. “It’s a complete game-changer for me – especially after being on the first team camp and seeing how professionally the team works and how much fun we have together.” Which is quite the statement, considering he spent his career up to this point riding for Specialized.
Andreassen is kickstarting his 2021 season early. His first appearance in Cannondale colours is this Saturday, 9 January at the Danish National Cyclocross Championships.
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Alan Hatherly
South Africa’s Alan Hatherly joins Cannondale with a few distinct achievements. Not only is he a former under-23 XCO world champion. In 2019, he earned the first-ever men’s eMTB world championship title (and it’s zappy lightning bolt rainbow jersey) at Mont-Sainte-Anne.
Hatherly scored his first major elite result at the second 2020 World Cup in Nove Mesto, where he stood on the extended podium in fifth. He is the South African elite xc national champion. And, as former African Jersey winner at the Cape Epic, adds strength and local knowledge in the team’s quest to score an overall victory at the South African mountain bike stage race.
“This is really a dream come true to be wearing the Cannondale colors for the upcoming season and beyond. Excitement levels are high for this new journey alongside powerhouse teammates!” Hatherly said in the team statement. “I can’t wait for the season to commence and to get racing on the new machine with some big goals in place for the 2021 season. I’m confident that I’m going to level up and learn in this space which is also really exciting.”
The new Cannondale Factory Racing quartet already assembled for a small training camp ahead of the 2021 season. As you would expect from such a heavy roster, CFR is targeting the World Cup, world championships and Tokyo Olympic Games. Then, in October, they’ll go after the ABSA Cape Epic title.
